FORT WORTH, Tex. – No, Matt DiBenedetto’s No. 83 BK Racing Toyota isn’t about to pull you over.
But the police-oriented paint scheme is no accident. DiBenedetto’s “Back the Blue” Toyota honors the Dallas Police Officers who lost their lives in a July 7 attack by a lone gunman and simultaneously embodies a fund-raising effort through the Assist the Officer Foundation.
Accomplished through the cooperation of sponsor ZAK Products, the official fuel additive of NASCAR, the paint scheme honors not only the officers slain on July 7 but all Dallas Police fallen officers since the formation of the department in 1881.
“It’s really neat to be able to honor the Dallas Police Department,” DiBenedetto said. “I don’t feel they get the respect they deserve sometimes, and it’s that all of us at BK can push for this effort to honor them. Vic Keller is the founder of ZAK Products, and he’s a lifetime Dallas citizen, so it hits close to home for him as well.
“(The response) has been incredible. So many people just thanking us. We don’t deserve any of the credit for it. We just felt it was something cool we could do as a NASCAR community and do together to honor them. But the response from the fans, and even other teams, has been really neat around here. People are really passionate about it.”
SHORT STROKES
Ford drivers paced both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice sessions on Saturday, with Ryan Blaney leading the morning session with a lap at 188.515 mph and Brad Keselowski topping the speed chart at 190.685 mph in Happy Hour. … Chase driver Denny Hamlin, along with Roush Fenway Racing’s Greg Biffle and Trevor Bayne, are paying the price for incurring fourth warnings during the at-track inspection process. Those three drivers lost their choice of pit stalls for Sunday’s race. Hamlin got pit stall No. 7, behind the No. 88 Chevrolet of Alex Bowman and in front of the No. 43 Ford of Aric Almirola.
Source: Reid Spencer / NASCAR Wire Service
